Apparatus for carrying articles

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for carrying articles includes a plurality of straps joined at approximately their midpoints and spaced from one another at their ends. The straps include a loop formed at each end and a fastener disposed through each loop for attaching to articles to be carried.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates generally to an apparatus for carrying articles, and in particular to an apparatus for carrying bags that can be worn over-the-shoulder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Shoppers frequently find themselves struggling to carry multiple bags, while at the same time attempting to accomplish other tasks such as opening doors, holding a child's band or finding their keys. Additionally, plastic grocery bags, which have recently gained in popularity, present a number of problems when being transported. Since the bags have no structure, they often open and spill their contents, and the bag's corresponding pair of handles is difficult to distinguish from one bag to the other. The handles of these bags also often cause pain to the hands or fingers of the person carrying them. Unloading a large number of bags from a car or cart can also be time consuming and require a shopper to make multiple trips to and from the car or cart location.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one embodiment, an apparatus for carrying articles comprises a plurality of straps, each strap having first and second opposing ends and a loop formed at each opposing end, the plurality of straps joined at their midpoints and spaced from one another at their ends, a spacer affixed to and extending between the plurality of straps in an end region of each strap for spacing the straps from one another at their ends, and a fastener disposed through each loop operable for attaching to articles.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus for carrying articles comprises first, second, and third straps, each strap having first and second opposing ends and a loop formed at each opposing end, the first, second, and third straps joined at their midpoints and spaced from one another at their ends, a spacer joined to and extending between the first, second, and third straps in an end region of each strap for spacing the straps from one another at their ends, each spacer extending beyond at least one of the first and third straps and including a loop formed at the extending end, and a fastener disposed through each loop operable for attaching to articles.

The presently disclosed apparatus for carrying articles provides numerous advantages in the art. For example, the disclosed apparatus makes it faster, easier, more efficient and less frustrating to transfer articles from the store to the car and into the home. Multiple articles can be easily transferred all at once, reducing the number of trips needed to transfer the articles. Multiple articles can be quickly and efficiently loaded and unloaded out of a cart, trunk, and the like in unison without having to sort through and find the matching handles to transfer each article individually. Additionally, the articles remain closed during transport preventing spillage and thus avoiding the frustration and extra time required to retrieve and replace various items. Furthermore, the apparatus frees the user's hands to unlock and/or lock doors, turn on lights, etc. and allows a heavier load to be transported with less strain on the arms, wrists, and hands.

Other embodiments and features will become still further apparent from the ensuing description and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an apparatus for carrying articles.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a loop formed at the end of a strap.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a fastener.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Apparatuses for carrying articles according to the present disclosure may be variously configured. In many embodiments, an apparatus 10 for carrying articles may include a plurality of straps, for example, two, three, or even four straps. In accordance with the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, an apparatus 10 may include three straps 12. However, in other embodiments, the apparatus may include fewer than or more than three straps. The plurality of straps 12 are preferably arranged in a slightly “fan-like” pattern. For example, the plurality of straps 12 may be joined at approximately their midpoints 14 and be spaced from one another at their ends 16. The straps 12 may be joined using any of a variety of mechanisms, including but not limited to sewing, adhesives, mechanical fasteners, heat bonding, welding or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the straps 12 may be joined together using a chemical adhesive, such as glue, and be sewn together as well.

The straps 12 may be formed from a variety of materials. In some embodiments, the straps may comprise a natural textile material, a man-made textile material or a combination thereof. For example, in an embodiment, the straps may comprise a cotton nylon blend, although other materials may also be used. The straps may also have a variety of dimensions. For example, the straps 12 may have lengths ranging from about 24 to about 48 inches. The strap length may be varied in order to better suit users of varying size. For some applications, an apparatus including straps 12 having a length of about 36 inches may be desirable.

The straps 12 have opposing ends 16 and include a loop 18 formed at each end region 16. As best seen in FIG. 2, in some embodiments the loop 18 may be formed by folding over an end length 20 of the strap 12 and attaching the end length 20 to another portion of the strap 12. The end length 20 may be attached in a variety of ways, including but not limited to those mechanisms described above. In many embodiments, the end length 20 may be glued and stitched to the other portion of the strap 12.

Fasteners 22 may be disposed through the strap loops 18 for supporting articles intended to be carried. For example, the handles of plastic grocery bags may be supported by the fasteners 22. A variety of different types of fasteners may be used with the presently disclosed apparatus. The fastener 22 preferably includes an attaching portion for attaching to a strap 12, e.g., at the strap loop 18 and a hook portion for positioning the articles to be carried. The attaching and hook portions may have any number of configurations. In many embodiments, the fasteners 22 also include a closure to prevent the articles from being accidentally dislodged from the apparatus. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, in some embodiments the fasteners 22 may comprise a loop 24 and a gate 26 for closing the loop 24. The loop 24 may be passed through the strap loop 18 and the articles to be carried may also be positioned on the fastener loop 24. The gate 26 preferably opens via a spring mechanism, but may also be opened by other mechanisms such as a screw mechanism. In one embodiment, the fasteners 22 may comprise spring clip carabiners, for example, 2.375 inch spring clip carabiners.

Spacers 30 may be positioned between the straps 12 at their end regions 16 to maintain the straps 12 in spaced relation to one another. The spacers 30 may comprise any of a multitude of materials and have a variety of configurations. Preferably, the spacers 30 comprise a material having a degree of rigidity for maintaining the desired spacing between the straps. For example, in many embodiments, the spacers 30 may comprise textile boning. Numerous types of boning are commercially available. In one embodiment, the spacer may comprise cotton/nylon boning. The spacers 30 may also be variously sized. For example, spacers 30 having widths of from about 0.5 to about 2 inches may be utilized. In one embodiment, the spacers 30 may have a width of approximately 0.5 inches.

As seen in FIG. 1, the spacers 30 may be affixed to the straps 12 at their end regions 16 so that the straps 12 are in spaced relation to one another. The straps 12 may be variously spaced, for example, from about 1 to about 5 inches apart, e.g., from about 2 to about 3 inches apart. The spacers 30 may be affixed to the straps 12 using any of the attachment mechanisms described above, including but not limited to adhesives, sewing, and mechanical fasteners. For example, the spacers 30 may be sewn and glued to the straps 12.

In many embodiments, and as seen in FIG. 1, the spacers 30 may extend beyond at least one strap 12 and include a loop 32. For example, the spacers 30 may extend beyond at least one strap 12 a distance of from about 1 to about 5 inches, e.g., about 2 to about 3 inches. The spacer loop 32 may be formed similarly to the loop formed at the ends of the straps 18, e.g., by folding over the end of the spacer and attaching it to another region of the spacer 30. Advantageously, additional fasteners 22 can be positioned on the spacer loops providing additional carrying capacity for the apparatus 10.

In use, the apparatus 10 allows a user to carry multiple articles while keeping their hands free. The articles, such as plastic grocery bags, are positioned on the fasteners 22. This is achieved by directing the gate 26 inwardly to create an opening in the fastener loop 24 through which the handles of the article may be passed. The gate 26 is then released, closing the loop 24, and securing the handles within the fastener 22. The articles are preferably evenly distributed among the several fasteners, although they may be distributed in any desired manner. The apparatus 10 may then be lifted and placed on the user's shoulder. Typically, the point at which the plurality of straps are joined, e.g., at their midpoints 14, rests on the top of the user's shoulder, so that the straps extend approximately evenly in the front and back of the user. The user is then able to transport the articles, keeping their hands free for other tasks. Once the user reaches their desired destination, the apparatus 10 is easily removed from the shoulder, while the articles remain securely closed and attached to the apparatus 10. Advantageously, the presently disclosed apparatus allows multiple bags to be easily and efficiently transported in unison and avoids spillage of the contents of the articles during transport.

This invention is susceptible to considerable variation in its practice. Therefore the foregoing description is not intended to limit, and should not be construed as limiting, the invention to the particular exemplifications presented hereinabove. Rather, what is intended to be covered is as set forth in the ensuing claims and the equivalents thereof permitted as a matter of law. 

1. An apparatus for carrying articles comprising: a plurality of straps, each strap having first and second opposing ends and a loop formed at each opposing end, the plurality of straps joined at approximately their midpoints and spaced from one another at their ends; a spacer affixed to and extending between the plurality of straps in an end region of each strap for spacing the straps from one another at their ends; and a fastener disposed through each loop operable for attaching to articles.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each spacer extends beyond at least one of the straps and further comprises a loop formed at the extending end and a fastener is disposed through the spacer loop operable for attaching to articles.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of straps comprises three or more straps.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the spacer comprises textile boning.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the straps and spacer comprise a cotton nylon blend textile.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of straps are spaced from one another at their ends a distance of from about 1 to about 5 inches.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of straps are from about 24 to about 48 inches in length.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the fastener comprises a hook.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the fastener comprises a spring clip carabiner.
 10. An apparatus for carrying articles comprising: first, second, and third straps, each strap having first and second opposing ends and a loop formed at each opposing end, the first, second, and third straps joined at approximately their midpoints and spaced from one another at their ends; a spacer joined to and extending between the first, second, and third straps in an end region of each strap for spacing the straps from one another at their ends, each spacer extending beyond at least one of the straps and including a loop formed at the extending end; and a fastener disposed through each loop operable for attaching to articles.
 11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the spacer comprises textile boning.
 12. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the straps and spacer comprise a cotton nylon blend textile.
 13. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the straps are spaced from one another at their ends a distance of from about 1 to about 5 inches.
 14. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the straps are from about 24 to about 48 inches in length.
 15. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the fastener comprises a hook.
 16. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the fastener comprises a spring clip carabiner 